Over time and through repeated use, bones and joints can become damaged or worn. For example, repetitive strain on bones and joints (e.g., through athletic activity), traumatic events, and certain diseases (e.g., arthritis) can cause cartilage in joint areas to wear down. As a result, fluid can accumulate in these joint areas, resulting in pain, stiffness, and decreased mobility.
Arthroplasty procedures can be used to repair damaged joints. During a typical arthroplasty procedure, an arthritic or otherwise dysfunctional joint can be remodeled or realigned, or an implant can be implanted into the damaged region. Arthroplasty procedures may take place in any of a number of different regions of the body, such as a knee, a hip, a shoulder, or an elbow.
As mentioned above, during some arthroplasty procedures, an implant may be implanted into the damaged region. The implant may provide support and structure to the damaged region, and may help to restore the damaged region, thereby enhancing its functionality. Prior to implantation of the implant in the damaged region, the damaged region can be prepared to receive the implant. For example, in a knee arthroplasty procedure, one or more of the bones in the knee area, such as the femur and/or the tibia, may be treated (e.g., cut, drilled, reamed, and/or resurfaced) to provide one or more surfaces that can align with the implant and thereby accommodate the implant.
Prior to treating any regions of a bone, it is important to correctly determine the location at which the treatment will take place. In some methods, an arthroplasty jig may be used to accurately position a finishing instrument, such as a cutting, drilling, reaming, or resurfacing instrument. The arthroplasty jig may, for example, include one or more apertures and/or slots that are configured to accept such an instrument. In certain variations, an arthroplasty jig may be customized to correspond to a particular patient's anatomy. For example, while individual human knees share some characteristics, they also can differ from each other in certain ways. As an example, knee alignment (e.g., valgus and varus) can vary from patient to patient. The use of a customized arthroplasty jig may enhance the precision of any cuts or other modifications that are made to a damaged region, such as a damaged knee region, during surgery to repair or restore the damaged region. For at least these reasons, customized arthroplasty jigs can provide for an effective and efficient arthroplasty procedure.
A relatively high number of knee replacement surgeries are conducted each year, and the total number of knee replacement surgeries is expect to continue to grow. For example, it is estimated that approximately 500,000 knee replacement surgeries were performed in the United States in 2005, and it is projected that approximately 1,370,000 knee replacement surgeries will be performed in the United States in 2030. Accordingly, it would be desirable to manufacture a relatively high volume of customized arthroplasty jigs in a relatively short period of time, to be able to meet the demand for quality products. It would also be desirable to economically manufacture a relatively high volume of customized arthroplasty jigs.